Dry powder dose filling systems and related methods
First Claim
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1. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
- a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface;
a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper;
at least one vibration energy source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy source is configured to output a non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the non-linear vibratory energy comprises a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; and
a controller operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy source, the controller configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the carrier frequency modulated by the selected modulating frequencies.
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Abstract
Systems for flowably dispensing dry powders include means for generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation whereby first meted quantities of the first dry powder are serially dispensed to a receiving member. Related devices and computer program products for dispensing dry powders are also described.
156 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface; a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper; at least one vibration energy source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy source is configured to output a non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the non-linear vibratory energy comprises a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; and a controller operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy source, the controller configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the carrier frequency modulated by the selected modulating frequencies. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30)
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2. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface; a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper; at least one vibration energy source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy, source is configured to output a non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the non-linear vibratory energy comprises a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; and a controller operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy source, the controller configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the carrier frequency modulated by the selected modulating frequencies, wherein the controller comprises a control module with computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code configured to programmatically select the desired non-linear vibratory energy from an electronic library of non-linear energy outputs, wherein a respective one of the non-linear energy outputs is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of different dry powders, the non-linear energy output selection being made based on the dry powder being dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (3, 5)
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12. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface; a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper; at least one vibration energy source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy source is configured to output a non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the non-linear vibratory energy comprises a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; and a controller operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy source, the controller configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the carrier frequency modulated by the selected modulating frequencies, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy source is configured to output a second non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the second non-linear vibratory energy is different from the first non-linear vibratory energy, the second non linear vibratory energy comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different predetermined modulating frequencies, and wherein the controller is configured to electronically direct the vibration energy source to output the first or second non-linear vibratory energy with its respective carrier frequency modulated by the associated predetermined frequencies while the dry powder is flowing. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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27. A dry powder dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper configured to hold a dry powder therein, the hopper having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface; a quantity of a dry powder disposed in the hopper; at least one vibration energy source operably associated with the hopper, wherein, in operation, the at least one vibration energy source is configured to output a non-linear vibratory energy sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly to the dispensing port, wherein the non-linear vibratory energy comprises a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies that correspond to a first dry powder formulation; a controller operably associated with the hopper and the vibration energy source, the controller configured to direct the vibration energy source to output the carrier frequency modulated by the selected modulating frequencies; and an elongated insert configured to reside in the flow path in the hopper such that the insert downwardly extends a distance out of the dispensing port and eccentrically rotates relative to the axis of the flow path of the hopper during dispensing to transmit directional acceleration to particles of the dry powder. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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31. A system of flowably dispensing dry powders from a hopper having at least one dispensing port and at least one dry powder flow path, comprising:
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means for generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by at least a selected one of a plurality of predetermined modulating frequencies, the at least one selected modulating frequency generally corresponding to one of a plurality of a priori identified flow characteristic frequencies of a particular dry powder being dispensed; and means for applying the first vibration input signal to the dry powder while the first dry powder formulation is flowing in a flow path so that the first input signal vibrates the powder in the flow path to facilitate fluidic flow of the dry powder whereby the system serially dispenses meted quantities of the first dry powder to at least one receiving member with a dose to dose variation of the meted quantities being less than about 5%. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A system for flowably dispensing pharmaceutical dry powder(s) comprising:
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a vibration source configured to generate a first non-linear vibration input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies, the different modulating frequencies corresponding to flow characteristic frequencies derived from a flow analysis of a dry powder formulation targeted for dispensing; a dry powder flow path in communication with the vibration source whereby the first non-linear vibration input signal is transmitted to the dry powder while the dry powder formulation is flowing in the flow path; and at least one dispensing port in communication with the dry powder flow path, the dispensing port configured to dispense meted unit dose quantities of the first dry powder to a receiving member. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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37. A system for flowably dispensing pharmaceutical dry powder(s) comprising:
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a vibration source configured to generate a first non-linear vibration input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected modulating frequencies, the different modulating frequencies corresponding to flow characteristic frequencies derived from a flow analysis of a dry powder formulation targeted for dispensing; a dry powder flow path in communication with the vibration source whereby the first non-linear vibration input signal is transmitted to the dry powder while the dry powder formulation is flowing in the flow path; and at least one dispensing port in communication with the dry powder flow path, the dispensing port configured to dispense meted unit dose quantities of the first dry powder to a receiving member, wherein the non-linear input signal has a plurality of superpositioned selected modulating frequencies.
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44. A dry powder filling system for dispensing pharmaceutical grade formulations of inhalable dry powder substances to target receiving members, comprising:
- a vibratory signal generator configured to apply at least one vibratory signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of selected predetermined modulating frequencies to dry powder in a bulk powder container having a dispensing flow path that merges into at least one dispenser, the selected modulating frequencies corresponding to identified a priori flow characteristic frequencies of the dry powder, whereby the system is configured to dispense meted quantities of the dry powder using the at least one vibratory signal.
- View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A dry powder filling!dispensing system, comprising:
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a hopper for holding a multi-bolus quantity of pharmaceutical dry powder having at least one dispensing port and a wall with an inner surface and outer surface; a multi-bolus quantity of a pharmaceutical dry powder disposed i n the hopper; and means for generating vibration energy to output a desired non-linear vibratory input comprising a carrier frequency and a plurality of selected modulating frequencies sufficient to impart a velocity with at least one downward force vector to the dry powder as the dry powder flows downwardly toward the dispensing port and is dispensed as a meted single pharmaceutical dose. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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Specification